Dooars tourism boost: Meet to discuss balancing growth with wildlife conservation

A state forest department meeting in the Dooars region discussed how rising tourism around Gorumara National Park, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, Murti and Lataguri can be balanced with wildlife conservation. The meeting was held on Saturday at a private resort in Chalsa, Jalpaiguri district, with forest minister Manoj Kumar Oraon and tourism minister Shankar Ghosh attending. Officials said proposals were made to frame stricter guidelines for resorts, safari operators and visitors, and to require strict environmental reviews for future tourism projects. A senior forest official noted the need to upgrade infrastructure while protecting the area’s fragile ecological balance. Oraon stated, “The state government wants to promote tourism in harmony with forests, nature and the environment.” A follow‑up meeting will review compliance and aim to finalise new regulations for tourism operators in the coming weeks. Readers may petition local authorities to enforce environmental rules and report any unauthorized tourism activity in forest zones.